1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to horseshoes, and more particularly to a horseshoe having a replaceable horseshoe pad having ground contacting cleat-like members extending outwardly therefrom.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Those familiar with the handling of horses are well aware of the need for a new and improved horseshoe. Since the legs of horses, and particularly their tendons, ankles, knees and shoulders, are frequently injured by the shocks incurred from impact of their hooves with relatively hard surfaces, not only must the shoeing of a horse be adequate, but rather it should be of superior quality in order to best protect the horse.
However, due to the expense and labor intensive time involved in buying and customizing a new set of horseshoes as are presently available, a horse owner may be tempted to shoe his horse with a merely adequate or less than adequate horseshoe. For the same reasons an owner will not, in all likelihood, readily change the horse's shoes in order that they be specifically or ideally suited to each type of surface the horse will be walking on.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a horseshoe wherein the metal shoe plate bears little or none of the horse's weight, thereby saving the customized metal portion from wear and tear, thus necessitating fewer replacements of the metal shoe plate. It would further be desirable to provide a horseshoe which can be easily adapted for different riding surfaces, and which can be manufactured efficiently and at low cost, while at the same time providing superior strength and protection to a horse's leg.